Among some American Indians is the legend of a "Spider Man," whose web connected the heaven worlds with the earth. Spider Woman, or Spider Grandmother, strongly feature in Hopi myths served as a messenger and teacher for the Creator and was an intercessor between deity and the people. The spider woman taught people how to weave and the spider symbolized creativity and was the weaver of the fabric of life. For additional information refer to Power Animals. In Lakota Sioux mythology, Iktomi is a spider trickster and shape shifter spirit - refer to Tricksters. His appearance is that of a spider, but he can take any shape, including that of a human. When he is a human he is said to wear red, yellow and white paint, with black rings around his eyes. The Seneca tribe, one of the six nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, believed that a supernatural spirit called Dijien was a man-sized spider who survived fierce battles because its heart was buried underground.

The Spider Woman
Spider Woman, or Spider Grandmother, strongly feature in Hopi myths served as a messenger and teacher for the Creator and was an intercessor between deity and the people. The spider woman taught people how to weave and the spider symbolized creativity and was the weaver of the fabric of life. In a creation myth the Spider Woman, the Earth Goddess, and Tawa, the Sun God were the first. Tawa, the sun god ruled the Upperworld while Spider Woman controlled the magic of the Underworld. There were no humans, birds, nor animals until Tawa and Spider Woman made it so. Spider Woman had Twin sons, the Monster Slayers, another connection with the Mississippian culture of the Mound Builders  

Spider Symbol Gorgets
Native American gorgets are ancient ornaments worn on the chest and suspended around the neck. They were commonly made of sea shells, turtle shells, copper or slate and were embellished with engravings and colors. The spider symbol at the top of the page was on a conch shell gorget from the Great Mound at Spiro, Oklahoma. Another ancient water spider shell gorget from Fains Island, Tennessee is shown below. Some of these ancient gorgets were created with apertures and believed to be used as a spinner called a 'Bullroarer' that could produce mysterious whistling sounds. The spider symbol gorgets illustrate a traditional legend about the water spider bringing fire to humanity.